If you’re someone who struggles with anxiety, you’re well aware of the toll it takes on your wellness, impacting your body, mind, and behavior. Regardless of how anxiety may manifest in your daily life, it’s likely you’ve sought relief. And for many people struggling with anxiety and intrusive thoughts, Sahaja has been a safe haven.

In fact, one small 6-week study of Sahaja meditation showed a significant reduction in symptoms of anxiety and depression in 24 patients with Major Depression, compared to control group and a group receiving cognitive behavioral therapy. Meditation, particularly Sahaja, helps us process and regulate our emotions by empowering us to better control what feel, think about, and give our attention to.
You may be wondering how – so let’s take a look.

Sahaja meditation increases the quality of mindfulness.

 

Mindfulness offers us the ability to self-regulate our attention to the present moment and our present selves, with curiosity and acceptance. With non-judgement, we can observe and monitor our intrusive thoughts and feelings, accepting what is rather than reacting. This calm state of observation gives us a space between our perceptions and responses, allowing us to reflect rather than react. Rather than getting bogged down by the content of our intrusive thoughts or feelings, we instead put some space between ourselves and our thoughts. We become an observer, separate and certainly wiser than our often-chaotic mind. Over time, it becomes clear to us that the content of our mind – our perceptions – are often different than reality. Mindfulness offers us the ability to self-regulate our attention to the present moment and our present selves, with curiosity and acceptance. With non-judgement, we can observe and monitor our intrusive thoughts and feelings, accepting what is rather than reacting. This calm state of observation gives us a space between our perceptions and responses, allowing us to reflect rather than react. Rather than getting bogged down by the content of our intrusive thoughts or feelings, we instead put some space between ourselves and our thoughts. We become an observer, separate and certainly wiser than our often-chaotic mind. Over time, it becomes clear to us that the content of our mind – our perceptions – are often different than reality. Sahaja meditation activates regions of the brain capable of dispelling anxious thoughts. Studies show that meditation increases activity in certain regions of our brain, including:

• The Ventromedial Prefrontal Cortex, a region of our brain responsible for controlling worry

• The Anterior Cingulate Cortex, an area that controls thinking and emotion

• The Anterior Insula, which evaluates and integrates cognitive, emotional and sensory input and creates our continuous, fluctuating awareness of self

These areas of the brain help to switch off what is called a Default Mode Network and help us break through the pattern of intrusive thoughts. Studies show that regular meditators experience decreased activity in the Default Mode Network, even when they’re not meditating. Meaning, regular meditation helps our brain from slipping back to its old ways.

 

Sahaja meditation decreases anxiety-provoking stress.

 

It’s common for people struggling with anxiety to be easily triggered to react. With Sahaja meditation, we are better able to inhibit these impulses with better mental habits. This is called de-linking. De-linking always, at the very least, brings about a relaxation response, thus helping to relieve the negative effects of stress. De-linking blunts overall sympathetic nervous system tone, which produces a sense of well-being – decreasing the physiological stress response.

 

Sahaja meditation leads us to a state of thoughtless awareness.

 

If you’re struggling with intrusive thoughts, just the mention of thoughtlessness may give you a sense of hope, and it should. The therapeutic effect of Sahaja meditation was achieved during the state of thoughtless awareness where participants were better able to introspect, address, and resolve the distress caused by negative thoughts, emotions, and behaviors. The more frequently we experience thoughtless awareness, the greater the benefits.

We invite you to regularly check in to our blog to read more about Sahaja and its healing benefits. For more reading on how Sahaja specifically impacts anxiety, CLICK HERE.